Piko x Len x Oliver - Cutie Mashup
by KawaiiAzumaril
Summary: An unusual trio spend a month together in a cabin for camping. They have wildly different lifestyles, but they all have a common trait: being sweet and lovable beneath their cold, harsh, and antisocial personalities respectively. Why is Piko so aloof? Why is Len such a tsundere, with or without Rin? Why is Oliver so quiet? Somewhat crack PikoxLenxOliver.
1. Pilot

9:56 PM Month X Day ◇Ｏ

"Sleeeep. I need it. In a bed..." Len mumbled, his arms wrapped sleepily around his pillow. That pillow was actually Piko's neck, who was sitting in the middle row of the van. If Piko wasn't so tired, he would have smacked Len with his tail.

"Get your hands off." Was all the white haired teen could muster, his eyes closing as Oliver breathed slowly in his slumber. His neck was bent and his honey blonde hair scattered about his face. He was going to get a crick later, but that was the price of sleeping in a car.

"We're here," the anonymous driver announced, gently shaking them awake. "Your stuff is already there, so just get some sleep. You'll be spending a month in the campgrounds, and this is your cabin. I'll be on my way now."

After stumbling in and clumsily brushing his teeth, Len felt more awake. Why? Mint toothpaste. The kind that burned his mouth. It didn't seem to have an effect on Piko or Oliver, as the latter collapsed into bed as soon as he got his coat off. That left Len with the other Vocaloid.

"I want the top bunk." The blonde boy said, his blue eyes flashing like he was prepared to fight for the top on the bunk bed. Piko didn't want to be on the bottom, in case the top bunk gave away. He shook his head, getting rid of the ridiculous thought. Len, however, took it as a 'no.'

"No, I said I wanted it-"

"Just- Just take it and let me sleep." Piko grumbled, wishing with all of his electric heart for the boy to shut up. To prove his point, he plopped onto the bed and tugged off his clothes, until he was just in a tank top and shorts. Len followed suit and climbed up the ladder, muttering something like 'could have said so in the first place.'


	2. Syrup (Ch 1)

I am such a weird person. LenxPikoxOliver. Len: Tsundere, Piko: Kuudere, Oliver: Dandere. I have no idea where that came from. I mean, they're little shotas and cuteness and aahhhh what if they were little sentient dolls in my room?! Never mind, that was totally random and I'll tell you what you need to know.

Here, Rin and Len aren't related, neither by blood nor romantic relationship. Yeah, it hurt to break the OTP, but I wanted to write the OT3 in some parallel universe or something. (Oliver is 12, Len is obviously 14, and Piko is 16, in my eyes). English is underlined.

* * *

7:00 am Month X Day ◇∇

The Vocaloids were out camping, and Piko, Len, and Oliver got their own cozy little cabin together. It was a little 'bonding session,' so to speak, since there were many introverted or otherwise reserved Vocaloids. Not like there weren't any extroverted or lively ones, anyway. For once, Rin wasn't with Len, but at least she was close by so they could still do things together.

But Piko and Oliver could clearly see he missed her, seeing as he was literally made to be with her. Even though he got to hike and swim with her any time he wanted to during their month long vacation.

Len and Piko, on the other hand, didn't notice the fact that Oliver woke up very early in the morning every day. Usually a few minutes before dawn, since he like watching the sun rise. Now, it's around five, and James is already awake. He twittered impatiently as the honey blonde let him out. The goldfinch eagerly flapped his wings and did a few circles before landing on his white hat. "Come on, James. Ready to go outside?"

They went into the adjacent clearing, a yard of sorts where they toasted marshmallows, playing as they always did. Oliver ran around, twirling and dancing. The dim morning rays warmed his fair skin, gradually brightening as the sun peeked hesitantly over the horizon. "Hello, how are you~?" The British sailor sang to James. He didn't like the songs with sad lyrics; instead, he liked the happy endings, the ones the heroes finally get after all their hardship. Or, the normal citizens who work hard in their lives. Whichever it was, there needed to be more smiles in the world.

Oliver sang without any thought. "Wake up, go look at the golden clouds. To see you happy and well, makes me feel oh so happy too! Wake up, go look at the radiant sky. To see you every morning is a blessing to me!" His eye, colored pure shade of liquid gold was clearer than any piece of glass. His voice was too. The crisp air swirled through James's wings as he whistled along.

On a particularly sharp turn, Oliver fell onto his back. The grass cushioned his fall somewhat, but that didn't take away the smile on his face. In fact, he giggled a bit. Losing an eye didn't affect his eyesight that greatly, but being precise down to the inch could be tricky. Clumsiness was a trait of his, one eye or two. "Even though we may fall down, the sun will pick us up~! Then greet the sun, and tell them: I love you! So keep on shining your smile, so the skies turn blue..."

His honey blonde hair turned silvery in the dawn's morning light. The grass gently encased his body, mildly tickling his exposed skin. Oliver breathed out a sigh, but it wasn't sad or stressed. It was content, satisfied, and just a bit tired.

* * *

8:30 am Month X Day ◇∇

Piko was second to rise, dressing in a sleeveless shirt with matching detached sleeves, then some shorts. He would sleep on the bottom bunk for the month, since Len was such a brat about getting the top. He glanced over to Len, who was lying like a brick and snoring quietly. His brow furrowed in irritation but left him to sleep, closing the door behind him. His tail coiled around his leg, not unlike how a cat would.

He stepped into the other small bedroom, where Oliver slept with James. His bed was empty. The little sailor boy was probably making a British style breakfast... But Piko didn't hear any sizzling. Curious, he stepped into the kitchenette and main room, consisting of a dining table and a few couches.

Nope, Oliver wasn't there. Piko then ventured outside, almost getting pecked to death. "Wah! James, what-?!" The American goldfinch landed on his USB cord, content with latching his little feet onto the appendage. An unpleasant tingle went up his back at the weird sensation, almost making his white hair stand on edge. He brought his prehensile tail to the front of him, looking at the bird. "Hey...!"

James's beady, intelligent black eyes stared back into Piko's mismatched ones. He let out a chirp and tilted his head. With that, the teen conceded defeat. "Ugh, you can stay." He let the bird stay perched on his tail, thankful it didn't hop around or brush his tail with its feathers. It was as if James was on the back of his neck. Oh, well. He didn't want to be mean to Oliver's precious animal companion. He also felt it would be unwise to make himself James's enemy. A shudder went down Piko's spine, despite the bird's unassuming look.

But all traces of unease faded when he saw Oliver lying down on the grass, sleeping without a care in the world. His face was relaxed, though it wasn't like he was anxious while awake. The sailor's fair skin seemed to glow with holy light; his cheeks having a sort of cherubic quality. There wasn't much baby fat, so his jawline and chin were rather pronounced, despite the boy's small age of twelve. But those round, pink cheeks differentiated him from an older teen, like Piko himself.

Piko felt like he was being stabbed with parental and protective instincts, coupled with a melting sensation. Though they didn't show on his face, save for a tiny smile and brighter eyes. Without much difficulty, he scooped him up and trekked back inside. He turned after a moment, hooking Oliver's hat with his tail and brought it in too. He always wore that hat, even with a swimsuit. As Piko set him down, he swatted out some grass with his fingers. His hair might have not been silky smooth and knotless, but it was still soft and puffy. He set Oliver down on a long couch, placing his hat on his lap.

Piko was about to close the door when James fluttered in, landing on the white commissar cap. Then, Piko decided to just shut the screen door with his tail, so the fresh breeze could still flow in. Then, he dug through the refrigerator to find something to cook. He hit a crumpled piece of paper; a handwritten note. It might've been Rin or Miku's handwriting, or maybe someone else...?

 _Dear whomever is reading this note, most likely Piko-kun or Oliver-kun, I hope you have some degree of cooking ability. Len, this does not include you. I'm still mad about those microwaved (and I might mention, BURNT AND TOTALLY EXPLODED) oranges, just to let you know. Be glad I haven't roasted your banana. Anyways, I don't want anyone starting forest fires or living off of purely grass or ramen, so here's an easy pancake recipe..._

So it _was_ from Rin. Piko shrugged, continuing to read the ingredients and instructions, though he was mildly interested in the burnt orange story...

* * *

10:00 am Month X Day ◇∇

Pancakes. Warm, fluffy, golden, garnished with banana slices and dripping with sticky syrup. The thought alone made Len dress more quickly than he would have otherwise, as he hopped down the ladder. The sun already shone brightly through the window, so getting up was probably a bit overdue. He dressed simply in a tank top and shorts as he strolled into the kitchen. Oliver sat at a sofa, watching Piko.

"Just look at Piko. He can use that tail thing to stir pancake batter without even looking! Blimey, I've already tried one, and it was smashing!" He admired the white haired teen almost too much.

"Su-ma-shin-gu?" Len sounded it out, too hungry to translate it for himself. Oliver just shook his head and muttered a quiet 'forget about it.' But that's when a stack of pancakes (unfortunately with no bananas) were served, along with some juice. They smelled heavenly. Len immediately dug in.

"Utatane-san, these taste amazing!" Oliver gushed the same way the maple syrup bottle did, pouring a bit too much. He hastily wiped it away, not wanting it to soil his white shirt or blue shorts. His fingers got sticky, even though he used a napkin. He licked it off.

"Don't use so much." Piko chided quietly, neatly cutting and eating a small piece. Oliver blushed a bit, giving a chunk to James as an excuse to not respond. The bird chirped happily, pecking it into little pieces that he could eat.

"Lay off of him, Utatane. He's just hungry." Len defended, shoving his own bite into his mouth. "But anyways, since we're stuck with each other in order 'to have some quality time together,'" he imitated Rin's voice with scary accuracy, "we might as well ditch the formality. Can I call you Piko-chan?"

Piko stopped eating, giving Len a questioning look. "Piko-chan?" His eyes, one slightly more green and the other slightly more blue, bore into Len's skull. Since he was looking at the yellow blonde boy so intensely, Len could see a little electronic activity whirring in the blue one. And that while Piko was a bit girly looking and had the suffix -ko to his name...

"Ah, should it be Piko-kun instead?" Oliver piped up, then scratched the back of his head nervously. "I'm not sure though. I can't speak Japanese as well as you can."

Piko shook his head a bit, but it was enough to make his long white locks to flop around. "That's not the problem. I don't really care about what you call me." He muttered, finishing his food and depositing his plate in the sink. His tail wrapped around one of his legs, making Len wonder how it doesn't restrict his movement. He quirked his eyebrow. If he didn't care about having -chan attached to his name, like how Miku would, then-

"-Why'd you give me that look when I suggested it?" Len pressed, stuffing the last of his pancakes into his mouth. Piko glanced at him, not venomously enough to be a glare, but obviously not sappy like a gaze.

His voice was cool and firm, like packed snow. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing."


	3. Blue Team (Ch 2)

I'd just like to say... Pay attention to what Piko says at the end of the first chapter, ( "Don't worry about it. It's nothing.") not counting the pilot. The first meaning is obvious, but the second is tricky to spot. Once you get some clues, you might see it. Not now, though. Other than that, English is underlined. Oliver is 12, Len is 14, Piko is 16.

* * *

11:30 am Month X Day ◇∇

People lined up at a wide and rather sluggish moving river. It would fit many rafts, even if they were side by side. It twisted and turned throughout a valley, but had no crazy waterfalls. "Okay, today's activity requires teamwork!" Miku's voice blared from her megaphone, a happy smile plastered onto her face. "Like, _actual_ teamwork, not 'I'm the boss of everything.'"

"That's not how it was for 'World is Mine,' Miku!" Someone shouted, making her flush a bit with part anger, part embarrassment.

"I-It was part of the lyrics!" She cried, before being rescued by Sweet Ann. The blonde, who was part of Miku's group, had a striped sundress and wore a dazzling smile. Her teeth were probably brighter than the sun.

"Ah, I should explain the rules. Elect one member of your three person group to be the leader. The leader doesn't just shout instructions. They warn the other two members, the paddlers, of debris or anything that might obstruct the way. Cooperation is essential! It isn't likely you capsize, unless there's a _biiiig_ disagreement."

She laughed. "You have three minutes to decide who plays which role. Also, no foul play with opponents!"

Len, Piko, and Oliver chose a sky blue raft, looking at each other. "So, who?" Piko asked. Len didn't like the way he never more than five words per sentence, or that he almost never started a conversation. Except for now, of course, but the white haired teen only said two words this time. What a kuudere...

"Whoever has the strongest grip, loudest voice, and best peripheral vision." Len replied, testing the feel of the paddles. They were long, a bit heavy, but well built for the water.

"I'm too quiet to be the leader..." The British boy trailed off quietly, thoughtful. He liked the aquatic activity, mainly because he was built with naval capabilities. "It's up to you guys to be the leader. But your tail can be an advantage, Utatane-san."

"How so?" His gaze seemed so analytic, especially with that staticky equalizer in his blue eye. Piko seemed so electronic compared to most Vocaloids, with Miki being the only other one to match.

Oliver seemed to withdraw into himself, probably intimidated with Piko's coldness. Len jumped to the rescue, his eyes flashing protectively. "You know, you can hold onto another place on the boat, lift up lighter debris..." Okay, there weren't many reasons, but it gave Piko a slight edge.

The teen closed his heterochromatic eyes and pressed his lips together in a tight line, hesitant. "I'm too quiet-"

Of course, that's when Ann blew her whistle. She faced the three boys. "Alrighty, the leader for the blue team is-"

"Him." Oliver nodded towards Piko.

"Him." Len jabbed his finger to the same person.

The reluctant leader sighed, figuring he couldn't argue against two. "Fine. I'll do it." He muttered, taking his place at the front of the boat. It had a trapezoid shape on both sides, and a weight in the back to balance the weight distribution. Otherwise, the boat would capsize...

Once the boats were lined up, it was almost time to start. Of course, the pre-race trash talk had to come first. Kaito grinned. "You're going down! Uh, whoever you are..."

Piko stared at him, in which the stare would have been blank if not for the calculating look in his eyes. Again, with that equalizer in his blue eye. Silence ensued, even amongst the rest of the chatter. Kiyoteru, who was in Kaito's team, tried not to smile at his teammate.

CUL, however, openly snorted. Her red hair was drawn into a high ponytail, and her usual revealing outfit replaced with a simple shirt with overalls. "Seriously, Kaiko-"

"It's Kaito-"

"Oh, shoot, sorry. Anyway, you gotta say something like... Hmm... What's a puny little shota going to do against me? Huh, pal?" Her face pulled into a mocking sneer, but the playful sparkle in her eyes showed she didn't mean a word she said.

Piko's lip curled, not enough to be a smile, but showing amusement nonetheless. "Win, of course," he said with total confidence. "Anything else?" He pressed expectantly. CUL flashed a bright smile, clearly delighted and overjoyed that Piko was playing along.

"Sweeeeeet!" She cheered, her little fangs more evident in the huge grin she wore. "I can't wait to see your team at the finish line- after we've crossed it, obviously!"

"You're on!" Len finally piped up, not wanting to be left out of the jibes. He was still irritated that Piko still only used five words per sentence... But he was swiftly called to attention with the countdown.

"Alright! The trash talking session is over. Get ready to race in 3, 2, 1... GO!"

* * *

You may be wondering why I'm uploading things in quick succession. FFnet has been patchy in places, like not letting me look at traffic stats or letting me post. I just wanted to get everything out so I won't leave you guys hanging.


	4. Complications (Ch 3)

The race is on... yay

"Alright... Paddle." Piko muttered, unsure of what else to say. "Watch out for Lily's team."

"Um, Utatane-san, you need to be louder." The sailor boy said, not much louder than Piko or than his usual voice. Over the other teams, they might as well just not speak if they were just going to whisper.

"How about not whispering?" Len suggests loudly, paddling. They went forward relatively quickly when he timed his strokes with Oliver.

Piko didn't say anything, pushing aside a floating log with his USB cord. The way he sat had his legs in the boat, so he wouldn't fall, and his torso turned to the water so he could see and let his prehensile tail move freely. Well, then he spoke. "Watch out for Lily's team. In the distance."

"Not to be rude or anything, but I haven't heard you speak more than five words per sentence. Why's that?" Len asked, unable to put up with it any longer. The white haired teen turned away, keeping one green eye on the blue ones that looked at him with such insistency. Piko felt compelled to speak. He almost rushed all his words, but he took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"I don't like my regular speaking voice compared to my singing voice." He said with greater volume, since there were no boats around theirs. "I also don't have many friends, since many speak in such a roundabout, so I don't like talking... It's as if you two, as well as the other Vocaloids, are too human for me, since I was designed to be so... robotic."

Piko's words were slow, almost hesitant. "Please don't make me talk so much," he finally added, almost pleadingly, his eyes downcast. "As I said, I don't like the sound of my speaking voice."

That was the most emotion he had shown that Len and Oliver had seen. "Oh, blimey. I'm sorry to hear that, Utatane-san." His amber eyes were hesitant to meet the one green eye concentrated on him and the other blonde teen. "Umm, sorry."

"Me too. Sorry, Piko-kun." Len busied himself with paddling, struggling to keep up with Oliver's smooth strokes. How could a younger boy handle the heavy oar so easily?

"..." Piko's face hardened into an unreadable mask, before he turned to face the water entirely. The only words he spoke were the occasional 'row,' 'watch out for the branches' and 'turn left or right.' Other than that, any conversation came from Len and Oliver.

"So, Kagamine-san-"

"Len or Len-kun is fine." Len corrected, not liking the stuffy adult-ish honorific. Everyone he knew called him either term. He rarely bothered with honorifics.

"Oh, sorry, Len-kun." The little British boy flushed, pink dusting his cheeks. Len couldn't help but _aww_ a little on the inside. The way _Len-kun_ rolled off his tongue was too cute, not to mention the blushing. The fangirls would be having a field day if they saw this.

"Um, so... Is Rin-san your girlfriend?" He asked timidly. Len smiled.

"Ahaha, nope," he replied casually, with a hint of pride, "she's just my sister and I'm just her brother. Also, you can just call her Rin-chan. She won't mind."

Oliver nodded in assent, making a mental note. "Do you have anyone in mind? Um, that you like?"

Len looked at him, confusion etching his features. Since there were so many music videos that involved him kissing his twin (Alice of Human Sacrifice, Daughter/Servant of Evil), crossdressing and whatnot, he learned that love had many forms. Ugh, that was cheesier than macaroni, but all the Vocaloids didn't have a problem with being gay or lesbian or anything of the sort.

But why was Oliver so eager to know Len's love interests? Len never sat down and questioned is own sexuality, but seeing how he found Oliver to be endearing, he thought he was either gay or bi. "Did Rin or Miku send you to interrogate me?" He questioned, making the other boy squeak and shake his head vigorously.

"No! It's just that you seemed really close to Rin-s... Rin-chan and a bunch of other people, so..."

"Okay." Len decided to change the subject and not to press him any further, since Oliver was getting more and more flustered by the second. "Also, we've been going at a leisurely pace. Shouldn't we go faster?"

"I've noticed you were struggling to keep up, Len-kun, so I was slowing down for you... Maybe that's why there aren't any others around us." The sailor boy said, speeding up his paddling.

The raft silently cut through the water with ease, thanks to Oliver's natural sailing ability. Piko didn't need to instruct the two blondes as a result, using his tail to pluck driftwood and other assorted obstacles from their path. Other than that, he held onto the raft and kept facing away.

Len could only think of him with a few words: kuudere, ice princess (prince?), antisocial... But Piko seemed to have issues on the inside. It couldn't be self-esteem or self-confidence, since he carried himself with pride and was always sure of himself, but he was almost seemed fractured on the inside.

Why was that?


	5. Rising Emotions (Ch 4)

You might be wondering why I added CUL to the story two chapters ago. I just needed someone brash, one that can stand up to two men living in her cabin. Wow, that sounded sexist. But still. Anyway, despite not having the greatest music videos in the world, CUL is one of my favorites. *so biased*

You know, since she's voiced by Eri Kitamura, Sayaka Miki's voice actress. She sounds almost exactly like Sayaka! :D happy happy~ Although the way I portray her is more like Kyouko, with the smacktalk and all... Ehehe...

* * *

"Is that the finish line?" Oliver asked, excitement filling his soft voice. Len squinted, his eyes searching a bit before spotting an unbroken yellow ribbon in the distance. Miku and Sweet Ann stood there, along with Hibiki Lui. He was chatting animatedly with the ladies there, before Miku noticed the soon-to-be winners.

"Ann, Lui-kun! They're here! They're about to win, too!" She cried, while the boys watched her. Both blondes waved, and Len had to resist the urge to stand up and do it. Piko, however, flinched at her high-pitched voice. He managed to make a small, polite wave that seemed more distant than welcoming.

"Wow, it must be because you're such a good sailor!" Len praised, patting Oliver on the back. He flushed in embarrassment, but he sat up a little straighter. Still he was being modest about it. _And a cute sailor at that,_ Len thought to himself, blushing as well. Oliver was just too adorable. Like, _moe_. Moeliver? Whatever, he was cute and needed protecting from the big bad wolf/ice king that was Piko. He imagined wrapping his arms around the younger blonde...

When the raft drifted over to the finish line, it wouldn't break. It wasn't taut enough to be stressed. Oliver giggled, childish amusement filling his eyes. Len smiled as well, and he was going to swat at it with his oar, but Piko beat him to the punch. In a clean move, he looped his USB cord around the ribbon and tugged. With a little ripping noise, it broke. He did it with such ease, it seemed effortless.

* * *

8:30 pm Month X Day ◇∇

After they were crowned winners in a big celebration (one that lasted hours: the competition seemed to be an excuse to party hard, much to Piko's irritation), they were helping themselves to some sandwiches Oliver made when they returned to their own cabin. After all, there were mostly alcoholic drinks and snack. The youngsters had to make do with brownies, cheese chunks and soda. It doesn't sound bad; delicious, actually, but not particularly filling.

"Ooh, by the way, Utatane-san, how did you do that?" The young blonde boy asked, between bites. They ate at a countertop, sitting on tall stools. It was so tall, none of the Vocaloids' feet could touch the ground.

"Do what?" Piko chewed a small bite, eating more slowly than Len or Oliver. His white hair framed his face, to which he occasionally had to brush it away from his mouth. With his tail, no less. Len wondered if it was painful to lie down on it... Or just sit on it...? He tried not to shudder, but tingles went down his spine.

"Ehh, move it?" Oliver suggested, holding up and flopping his arm back and forth in demonstration.

"I simply can. I was made with it." He answered, resuming his eating. He swallowed another bite. He glanced over to the older blonde, and his eyes narrowed somewhat. His headphones seemed to crackle. Len's puzzlement must have been written all over his face, or Piko was just that good at reading thoughts. "Before you ask... It's attached to my back."

"...Ah, I see." Len nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm still wondering-"

Piko cut him off just as quickly as he snapped the finish line. "It doesn't hurt." He cleaned up his plate and headed to his bedroom.

"Utatane-san, it's too early to sleep..." Oliver mumbled, but he was ignored. "Len-kun, I don't think he likes us very much."

His tone was even yet quiet, but matter-of-factly too. He didn't seem too upset, but Oliver tried to make friends with as many people he could. Shyness, however, usually held him back. Piko didn't seem particularly mean, just cold. Len patted his head, or rather, his hat, since it was always there.

"He's just an ice prince. You know how he said he doesn't like talking. We just need to be friendly to him! Besides, who can resist a cute face such as yours?" Len pinched Oliver's cheeks, making him protest and giggle. The British boy escaped, running around the place. But Len was older and naturally athletic, so Oliver was soon cornered. He was gently tackled to the couch, tickled the older boy, making his now uncontrollable laughter rise an octave.

"W-W-Wehihihihi! Wait! Len-kuuun!"

* * *

Piko sat on his bottom bunk, listening to Len and Oliver converse. "An ice prince, huh?" He muttered to himself, his fists clenched tightly. He bit his lip as hot tears dripped from his eyes. Soon, Oliver's high-pitched giggles and Len's teasing filled the cabin, making him cringe. "Just... Why?"

"Why does it matter now?" He asked himself, but didn't have an answer. He didn't have an answer then, either. Piko made no other noise.


	6. Drama (Ch 5)

Len spoke, his voice a mere whisper in the darkness. It was enough to stir Piko from his slumber. "Piko-kun, were you crying?"

The white haired teen sensed the other one was close. He feigned sleep, but it was hopeless. Those obvious tears on his face clothes wouldn't look like regular drinking water to even the dumbest of idiots. Although, Len seemed pretty close to that title, he was still quite sharp. And despite Piko's good acting, making sure to breathe extra slowly though he needed the oxygen, Len saw straight through it.

"It's 10 pm now, so Oliver-kun is already asleep. Stop pretending to sleep. Rin does that all the time, so you can't fool me." His voice was firm, almost commanding.

10 at night already? The tears should have dried up by then... Unless Piko was crying in his sleep, too. _Fakku_. He was so very tempted to tell him to go away, but he would just condemn himself again and again.

"Piko-kun, if you keep-"

"I know." His voice was so low and pathetic sounding. The toads would frown upon his croak. "It's just that..." His throat contracted with fresh tears, just as his chest tightened.

"Why can't I-?" Piko was practically whimpering at this point. His body shook slightly, which wouldn't seem like much, but coming from him, it translated to an emotional breakdown.

"Why can't I...?" He couldn't spit it out. _Why can't I keep friends?_ was what he was supposed to say, but the words got caught in his throat. The reason was so utterly lame sounding, but the pain was too real.

"Calm down a bit, Piko-kun, and tell me if you want to." The fact that a younger boy was stronger emotionally than he was stabbed at Piko's pride. His eyes shut, not wanting to see the world anymore. Sleep soon came to his rescue like a warm summer night breeze, cradling him as if to apologize to him for his misery.

* * *

Len awoke, feeling slightly cramped but mostly refreshed. The sleep he had was better than usual; he just needed to stretch a little bit. He looked down and saw Piko hugging him like he was a warm pillow, his face obscured by his hair and by Len's chest. The white haired teen's legs were dangling outside the bed, due to his greater height and the fact he was snuggling into the blue eyed teen's chest. His tail was coiled rather possessively around Len's leg, preventing him from leaving.

A loving gaze appeared on Len's face, but he was painfully reminded why he had to cuddle Piko. The ice prince desperately needed comfort, comfort he couldn't have had before. He cracked so easily that night, contrasting his even surface. He craned his neck and looked out the window, seeing that the sun barely peeked out of the clouds.

A boy sang with the qualities of a youthful choir. That had to be Oliver. Len smiled, happy to have companions outside of the Crypton Vocaloids. He gave Piko a kiss on the forehead and, as gently as he could without disturbing his slumber, unwrapped the USB cord from his leg. He needed to cook breakfast after all.

* * *

8:00 am Month X Day ◇⌒

Breakfast turned out to be toast, fried eggs and ham slices, curtesy of Oliver. The ' _hey, I can cook!'_ s and ' _you already did before so I need to now!_ 's fell on deaf ears. "It's quite alright, Len. I like cooking." The young boy would say, letting James sit on his hat.

Just as Len was setting the table (the plates were a bit heavy for Oliver to carry), Piko came to the table. His face was washed and his hair was combed neatly, removing any indication of stress. "The ice prince has arrived," Len announced dramatically, trying to lighten the atmosphere. However, the 'ice prince' cringed at the title.

"Calling me that now, huh?" He inquired, but the usual forceful coldness was absent. His eyes still had that calculating look, but it seemed more sluggish. His body was well-rested, but not his mind.

"S-Sorry, man, I didn't... I didn't mean that, Piko-kun." Len apologized awkwardly, cursing himself. _Gah, he'll think I'm a jerk. It really doesn't help that we're free to do just stay in our cabins today. Now he's stuck with me and my fat mouth..._

"Utatane-san, what's wrong?" Oliver stopped eating to ask him. His eye drooped in worry and sadness, like a moe/tareme eyes anime character. "Are you uncomfortable with us?"

"...No," came the hesitant reply, picking at his toast so little crumbs fell on his plate. James fluttered over to the chunks that fell on the floor. "This sounds arrogant, but... What do you think of me?"

"I thought you were a stuck up kuudere, but now..." Len thought hard. How could a moment of weakness change one's opinion so drastically? "You don't get neither the appreciation nor the attention you deserve, Piko-kun. That's what I think."

"I don't know what he's talking about, but I think I agree..." Oliver murmured, neatly cutting his eggs. Piko nodded, his shoulders dropping a bit. He pursed his lip and squinted, like he was thinking very hard. After a few moments of picking at his food, he stood, scooping up an egg and ham slice onto his toast. He folded it up gingerly to avoid making a mess.

"Sorry, but I'm eating outside." He muttered, turning. Len's eyes were pitying, but they turned angry. Piko was extracting himself from social interaction. He was sad and lonely, yet he was doing nothing about it. Len was strong-willed and could swallow his pride to accept his flaws. He reached out and grabbed the extended tail, giving a light tug.

"No, you're not. We're supposed to make friends, not ignore each other. Stay with us." His tone was commanding, but it turned pleadingly at the end. Piko looked back, nearly murderous, but even that seemed subdued, like a bucket of ice over a fire. His heterochromatic eyes flashed.

"Let. Go." He growled, his voice low and dangerous. Len obliged, yet Piko still slapped the offending hand with the USB drive, before turning around completely. He stalked out the door, his cord swishing like an angry cat's tail.


	7. The Past in the Present (Ch 6)

8:15 am Month X Day ◇⌒

Piko must have been good at running, or, at least, hiding, as the white haired teen was nowhere in sight. "Piko-kun? Piiiiiiikoooo-kuuun?" Oliver wove through the forest, ignoring the sounds of Len's protests of 'come back' and 'we should leave him a lone for a bit!'. If Oliver wanted to find the elusive Piko, Len needed to be quiet to hear any sounds...

Despite the older boy's athleticism, Oliver's body was smaller and naturally nimble. While he wasn't familiar with the forest, he was better than most when it came to running through underbrush and over logs. James did a good job of both scouting and distracting Len, too. "Sorry, Len-kun, but Piko-kun is really upset...! James, distract Len-kun, please!"

With the sound of rapidly fluttering wings and garbled cries of 'get off!', Oliver picked up his pace, dashing over tree roots like he was being chased by rabid animals. However, since he was moving so quickly, he failed to notice a long object stretched taut between two trees... With a small 'oof,' the blonde boy tripped and was quickly picked back up by the offending teen.

"Sorry," was all Piko said, wincing slightly at the sharp pain in his tail. Not putting Oliver down, he carried him up a stack of fallen logs onto a tree. The logs were leaning against a standing tree, much taller and thicker than the rest. The blonde boy took the hint and scrambled up a tree, not stopping until he found a sturdy branch. The white haired teen soon joined him, so they sat together, fifteen feet off the ground. "Let me explain myself..."

"Explain what?" Oliver was curious to know, hearing James's twittering in the distance. He felt bad for ditching Len like that, but he didn't need to get angry at Piko! Or, maybe he did... Only listening to Piko could tell.

Piko hesitated, looking to the ground. His tail dangled, swaying slightly in the morning breeze. "About my creation, my failed interactions with people, and my self-inflicted isolation."

Without waiting for Oliver's response, Piko smiled grimly and began. "I was created. I sang. People liked me as they would like any other Vocaloid, but I was happy to get some recognition. However, there were some people in particular that were very... Businesslike, hungry, yet smooth and charismatic. But they aren't very straightforward. They'll imply something but won't say it outright.

"I never understood them. Their roundabout ways confused me. I looked like a fool. Suddenly, I was being taken advantage of. Anything I said was ridiculed. It was a horrible feeling, Oliver."

Oliver waited for a moment before replying. "I'm sorry to hear that, Piko-kun." He murmured, his hand reaching toward his. "But you aren't helping yourself, either. The purpose of this trip was to open up and meet friends. You aren't really doing that."

APiko remained silent, neither accepting nor refusing Oliver's hand. It dragged on for a few minutes. "Two boys, both younger than me, have more maturity than I do." He said half-aloud, wry.

He remembered the time, which was only a few days ago, though it seemed like many years have passed, he picked Oliver up while he was asleep and took him inside. The swirling and tugging feeling in his stomach was unlike anything he felt before; parental instinct. Yet, Oliver was being more logical than he was.

Piko's tail whipped out, but didn't hit the blonde. Instead, it wrapped gently coiled on his torso, as an arm wrapped around his waist. Oliver was pulled into a one-armed hug by the least likely person on the planet. He closed the space by leaning his head on the older boy's shoulder, trying to get a glance at the other's expression. It seemed neutral as always, but much lighter than it was before. His staticky headphones hummed in content.

"Sorry for the sob story. But wounded people...have damaged pasts." Piko apologized. "Here. Let's get you down."

But before Oliver could jump and land on the logs they climbed on, Piko whipped his tail and wrapped it around the branch they were sitting on. Oliver was then hoisted by Piko from beneath his arms, and Piko eased himself off the branch. His USB tail was somehow able to support both of their weights, however slight they were.

With careful coordination, Piko transferred Oliver from his hands to his legs, shortening the distance even further. With just Piko's tail alone, it took off five feet. With his legs was another two or three feet off. But that still left around half the distance to jump, and that didn't seem too appealing...

And then he was being lowered even more. Piko's tail was now almost twice his body length at around ten feet. "Wha-How-?"

"My tail is retractable," his satisfaction, while minimal, was still evident on Piko's face. "It extends to ten feet. I usually keep only a few feet out at a time, so I don't snag it on anything. A Vocaloid is a strange thing."

Oliver didn't know what to think. How did Piko, well, hide it? It was freaky, yes, but really cool at the same time. He basically had ten feet of rope with him at all times, which he could control as perfectly as a monkey's prehensile tail. "B-Blimey..."

"Yeah..." Piko was suddenly very embarrassed. "I don't know where it goes either, so, um, let's go find Len...Len-kun."

"Okay!" Oliver whistled, and soon James descended onto the extended finger with fluttering yellow wings, his long toes latching onto the appendage. "Find Len-kun." James recognized the command and obeyed, bobbing his little head in a direction, and followed. The blonde reached into his pocket and produced a few cracked sunflower seeds, as well as a few Piko couldn't immediately identify.

Piko walked a bit slower than the younger boy, listening to Oliver affectionately coo and praise James in English. James twittered in response, contently eating the offered seeds.

It wasn't long until they found a disheveled, slightly angry Len. After cursing the bird ( _akuma no tori!_ ) they returned to their cabin. Strangely, though, Len was silent, which worried Oliver and made Piko anxious, like he was caught stealing cookies but wasn't punished.

* * *

*crawls out of pit* I'M ALIVEEEEEEE *flops* somewhat. Excuse my absence, and the fact that this temporary non-hiatus is, well, temporary. I'll be back to hiatus-ing after this until Thanksgiving, then I'll be available again for Christmas + New Year's, and for major holidays + summer vacation (possibly). A thousand excuses and apologies!

But back to the story at hand...

I'm sorry that Piko's son story is really... I don't know how to describe it. Cliché? Mary Sue-ish? Desperate for pity/pity inspiring/pity seeking? But that's a way someone gets damaged, and how I thought Piko would be scarred by. It sort of contrasts how his real voice provider Piko was encouraged by his mother to pursue singing, but with Utatane (Vocaloid) Piko was created, he was falsely lead on/'encouraged.'

I realized how convenint it was that James could understand English... Let me write down a list of them, just for fun.

(The fact that he even has a list of words...where in the real world, birds follow no command. They have no master XD)

(I guess this is like a little head canon. Maybe James is like an android-bird? #Birdloid confirmed)

Headcanon: Teaching James isn't too tough. Clearly repeating the word desired along with offerings of seeds usually does the trick, in making James associate the word with its respective object. With names, James learns them faster if he likes the name bearer. He also only responds to Oliver, unless Oliver is around.

Commands will be described in their section.

Distract! (Accompanied by name): Peck and fly at the target. If the name of the target isn't known by James, Oliver would point.

Oliver puts a shelled sunflower seed on a string and swings it around, so James would have to 1.) Get to the seed and 2.) Peck the shell to get the insides

*whistle*: Return to Oliver. Oliver whistles while holding a seed, and releases James from his cage until Oliver can whistle without the use of a seed.

Find _: Find an object/person. Oliver hides seeds with trial objects and sends James to find them until he associates can without the use of seeds.

Away with you!Oliver thinks it's too mean to say 'go away'): Leave. Oliver throws a seed far away from himself.

Stay: Stay at a place. Oliver sets a pile of seeds in front of James and leaves the room.

Oliver: The second thing James learned

James: The first thing James learned.

Len: Taught to James during car ride

Piko: Same as above

Good night: Go to sleep (James wakes up earlier than Oliver does, so there's no need for Oliver to tell him to wake up)

Unusual in the fact that Oliver would cover James's cage with a cloth to simulate darkness (nightfall) instead of using seeds.

Sing: Oliver gives a seed each time James makes a chirp when he says the command.

Behave: Be quiet/Don't fly around. Oliver's rare stern expression alone makes him like an alpha wolf: intimidating and in charge. James learned that when his cheerful owner is serious, it's time to stop fooling around. (Related command: Stop)

Various praises: Oliver's friendly expression and words, along with yummy sunflower seeds, are always enough to make James feel loved and appreciated.

Various facial expressions: James figured out himself that he doesn't get as much praise or as many smiles when Oliver is angry or sad.

(Name) accompanied with sad/angry face: Oliver didn't teach him this command, nor does he know about it, but James leaves little 'presents' (sunflower seed shells, twigs, molted feathers, and droppings) for the name provided.

Various other learned words: Seed/food, bandage, hat, Vocaloid, bird, Master, (holidays), hot/cold, nest, nice/mean, various Japanese honorifics (but no other words)

 _Demon bird!_


End file.
